Automatic gas cut-off valve



D. D. BARNUM- May 16, 1933.

Filed May l5, 1931 Patented May 16, 1933 unire-n;

mmap, Banania, or Bosroinivrassncnusmms 1 AiIaQMerIQ Ges Application `filed May 1 5,

This invention relates to automatic thermal gas valves. designed to be interposed between the main orsservicepipe and the gas meten, and Vintended automatically vto shutbiqthe 5f1o \v.o fgas from the main v topoints `beyond the, valve Ain they event ofganabnormalj rise inltemperature,.such as would result-trema fire in the ,vicinity of the meter. Y

One object; amongothers, is tn providea j .simple form .of such valve, of inexpensive con? struction and installation, as Well a s one which Will effect a substantially complete stoppage of thegas iow after the irehas subsided and until opportunity may bezha for such repairs as are needed.

The simplest foimjof such an automatic valve comprises a gravity-actuated, `valveclosing memberheld or suspended in its open position by solder. or other fusible substance ZQzhaving -a E relatively .low ,melting point and so arrlllged that on` an abnormal rise in, temperature the valve `is released and-drops.4 thrioughfthe aetionbf-gravityto close aport.;

ini-:the Supply Pipefmd Stop 0r :impede the. l `.further flowvf ot gas. Such valves, however,

as hereteforeellStruQted, Whether 0f Sphere @al 0r other :fo-rm, vhere requiredfspecally C011# structed housingscr fittings whichmust be intions comprise ashore-verticalmeter-Supply;

vine @enneeten betweenwhich and, the; verbi-l f cally aligned, serViCer-peenneeton theres ntrpeschaeas, .Cut-Off; valve- The latter. comprises afvalvescesng latina Peris ranged, invertal alignment; 0119 Opening. into. the. meter Supply ppe and, the, other intel the:

overhead supply, pipe, and controlled by, a,

transverse, hmzentallv arranged,; hollen,

@relied-:Senta the Casing; and havingtraue verSe-roltawhchf, bef-,turning the-valve, may eitherturn onorlshut pif-the gassupplyffrom the Servie@ pipe.

The installation; 0f Specially constructed hOUSDS; 0L; fittings, fOlf automatic Valves. therefore, @articulada/ n the Case of. :meters already. in use, requires are-arrangement/O; the servicepipeconnections which adds to the i 50 fexpense attending the1 u seofsuch valves, `and CUT-OFF vAnvn 1931-. serial No. 537,649;

in manyzinstances, Where. service. pipe coni? nections are such asy to require more or less actuated, valve-closing member inthe h o'lr'` low valve plug of the cut-off rvalve-itself,so arranged that,in,spite of the horizontaleposi;4 tion occupied by this valve,ftl ie vvalve closing temperature, and thereupcnl dropk into such a position. Vas to lclose' lthe underlying lmeterf' supply portfand interruptthe gas supply".f The cut-oilQ valve and valveplug Vcontaining such ,valve Vclosing.memberzmay be manufacf tured at insignificant l cost l and maybe v installed. in any alreadyrestablished meter supply connections by merely` removing the, oldl or standardforin` of jplug .and inserting the new onesoequipped inits place, orby insert'- ing anewvalvechamber .equipped :Withfvthe new` plug, WhichevermayLappear advisable, and` pvithout the necessityof .touching orlfdis-l' i turbing the service pipe connections or other parts. 'l Y Automatic valves whichy are seated by grav-v ity action. alone, even when.V new4 and made With the utmost care and precision, havebeen found to .actas anV impedancetonlyfto gas l flow. y After being lseated :there continues 'a verysubstantial leakage,vvhch may amount` to from, 10%130 30%ofthe nor 1 nal'supply,` and `which after long continued installation, with resulting impairment of the seating and contacting surfaces, may. be substantially` greater. This impedance issuficient to suppress o r .che cl{ any substantialaddition to* the conflagration occurring in.A the. vicinity. of the, meterl which might otherwisetake place vWerethe normal ,supplyf of gas to. be continued, but,` afterl thel lire, has beenexf` tinguishged this continuing leakage accumuf,

tions, adds mamember Will refactiitovan; abnormal 4rise 'in i to avoid this condition, especially in the case of a gravity-actuated valve member, by providing a gas-tight seal for the seat of the valve member,which becomes effective as soon as the surrounding temperature drops to normal, thereby securing a complete stoppage of the gas flow from that time on.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention this is secured by coating the contacting walls of the valve closing member, or-its seat, or both, with a cenientitious substance which is hard or solid at normal temperatures but which is adapted to soften in the presence of heat and which formsa cementing film between the gravity valve member and its seat when the former drops into place. This serves to more effectively impede the gas flow during the time the adj oining iire is in progress, and, when the iire subsides and the temperature drops, the adhering film hardens and ceinents the valve inember t0 its seat, forming a substantially gastight seal.

These and other objects of the invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration showing one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

l In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly broken away, showing a portion of the gas meter with the usual standardizedpipe connections thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional elevation taken through the gas cut-off valve, the latter being equipped with an automatic valve closing member embodying one form of the invention, the valve closing member being shown as held in its normal or open position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the valve member released and closed; and

Fig. 4.- is a sectional plan on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Referrin to the drawing and to the illustrative em odiment of the invention, as shown in Fig. 1, the standardized meter connections comprise the meter 11, the short vertical meter supply pipe 13, the vertically aligned service pipe connection 15 and the interposed cut-off valve. The latter (Figs. 2, 3 and 1) consists of a valve casing or housing. 17 having the lower port 19 communieating with the meter supply pipe and the vertically aligned upper port 21 communieating with the service pipe, the ports being controlled by the usual horizontally posihoned FOIlble, hollow valve plug 23 which is tapered and worlrsvin a tapered seat in the the position shown.

To automatically cut off the gas supply ity-actuated, port-closure member 29 is remployed positioned in the hollow interior of the v alve plug. `The closure member 29 comprises an elongated plate-like portion of the shape conforming to the contour of theinterior walls of the hollow plug adjacent the port and adapted, when the vclosure member ,Y

is dropped, to overlie and rest on the edges of the port, as shown in Fig. 3. The front of the closure member may be formed asV shown, with a protruding face 31 suitably shaped to assist in centering the'closure member in and over the port and also serving to give added weight to thatside of the closure member.

When the closure member is installed in the'valve plug it is secured to the side wallsV of the hollow interior of the plug substantially midway between the ports 25 andf27 by means of a small body 33 of solder or other suitable fusible material, the back of the closure member having a small raised portion or lug 35 to which the solder is applied. In this position, as will be seen from Figs.

2 and 4, it is held with its longitudinal edges Y so related to the longitudinal edges of each port, and its transverse edges so related to the transverse edges of each port, that when released, as by the melting of the fusible metal attachment, it will fall over'the lowermost port (assuming the valve to be in the open position, as shown in Fig. 2), the protruding face of the closure member enteringl the port, centering the member therein, and causing the port to be closed by the overlapping and conforming edges of the closure member. This closing movement is further y facilitated by the eccentric disposition of the mass of the closure member embodied in its protruding face which causes the center of gravity to overhang both the point of attachment of the fusible body and the lower contacting edge of the plate and causes it to execute ahalf turn and rock accurately into closing position about the lower contacting longitudinal edge or area of the closure member. Itwill be observed that theV automatic valve is operativeand is effective to automatically close the lowermost port, whether the plug valve is positioned as shown in Fig. 2 with the port 25 beneath, or in a position 18()O therefrom with the port 27 beneath. Furthermore, when the valve is dropped into position, the gas pressure in the Service main `on an abnormal rise of temperature, a gravi ioo assist-s in' giving fthe closure member'a firmer" and more effective seat."

member adapted to becomeelfective assoon 'as thesurrounding temperature 'dropsto nor- 1n al,`^I preferablycoat the inner walls of the valve plug where they surround thel ports', or that part ofthe outer surface of theclosure A those walls: when the valve' is' seated, 'or both the valve plug and theclosure membergwi't-h a cementitious substance 37whichffrer`nains solid andhard at normal temperatures but which will fuse or softenunder abnormally" 'high temperatures. Various substances may be used lfor this purpose but a thick mixture of ordinary shellac will serve the purpose.

In the case of an abnormal rise of temperature, such as might be caused by a tire in the `Avicinity of the meter, the shellac will soften and melt, offering no impediment to the dropping and seating of the valve when the latter is released by the melting of the fusible metal attachment 33. The closure member 'v accordingly seats itself on the melted shellac,

l'leakage through the closed port.

which, during the continuance of the high temperature and while still remaining in a melted condition, further minimizes the leakage of gas which can take place through the port thus closed. When the lire subsides and the temperature drops, the shellac hardens, cementing the closure member to its seat and forming what is in effect a gas-tight seal, preventing substantially all further gas Since the interior of the valve is cut off from any sup ply of air or oxygen, the shellac cannot burn or disintegrate, but remains in its fluid condition during the continuance of the high 40"temperature, and, although any excess of "'the cementing seal when the temperature shellac may gravitate awa-y, there remains at all times a contacting lilm between the closure member and the edges of the port on which it seats which becomes effective to form again drops.

While I have herein shown and described for the purpose of illustration one specific embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that extensive deviations may be made from the details of construction and the form and arrangement of the closure member and other parts, all without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim: v

l. A cut-ofi' gas valve having a chambered valve plug with upper and lower ports and provided with means automatically to close one of the ports thereof under excessive heat,

lthe same comprising a plate-like member with a fusible attachment to the side walls of the plug chamber between the ports, the center of gravity of said member being eccentric with relation to its area of contact with the walls of the chamber, whereby when released it executes a partial 'turn and drops h over the `'underlying"partito 'close the" same.

- 2; A cut-olf gas valve 'with 'connections therefor," said `'valve comprising a Jvalve cas`4` ing positionedin =said 'connectionsl to present a vertical gas supply passage,- said` valwe'casing :having a horizontally A'positioned' cham-- j beredvalve 'plug inisaid'pass'age havinglopmember which-'is adapted to contact with* positely .disposed ports adapted to op'enand f close zsaidpa'ssage', and means automatically to fclo'sejthcpassage" under' excessive heatgthe i same 1comprising "a ,gravity-actuated, fpla'tef-u"` likeV i'n'em'ber normally held 1' within i'the' cham# ber of said valve"'plug anda fusiblef attach-25' 0 `valve plug seated in said casing 'havin'glop positely related* 'ports adapted "tol openand*- close the passage, and'means witliinthe Chaini ber of said plugforf'closing port thereof# und/er` excessive heat when said valve plug is in its passage-opening?position# the sameA comprising a -por't closing "member"2 with: fa fusible attachment for 'lholdingit to the side' walls of thfch'amber, saidlmembe-r being gravitatinally' related 5to' said port tofro'ck outwardly' on the fusing'fof V"said attachment "1 andv drop'intoclesingposition over said* port` 4. Ina'device of theclass' described,`fatgas cutoffvalve comprising a valve casing? with" vertically A aligned upper jand1v -lower ports,` i 'a horizontally positioned, rotatable, cham#`-- bered, valve plug having oppositelyrelated "i ports; adapted t' open the'ports in said' casing, and' 'meanswithin' the chamber "of said' l valve plug for closing' aport thereof, comprising a gravity-actuated, port-closingmem ber witha fusible attachnientiforholding it' tothe inner walls of said chamber, said lmember being gravitationally related tothe under` lying port in said va-l-veplug-4 to rdrop, intoclosing position4V with 'relation theretoonl the# fusing of said attachment. f

5, VAcht-'olf gas valvehaving achambered y drop into closing position and close that port only on the fusing of said attachment.

6. A cut-off gas valve having a chambercd, ported, valve plug provided With a gravityactuated closure member contained Within the chamber thereof, a fusible attachment for holding the closure member in open position but adapted to permit the same to drop to a closed position at abnormally high temperatures, and means for effecting a gas-tight seal for said closure member when the temperature drops, comprising a coordinately related fusible body adapted to soften when hot and harden When relatively cold.

V7. In a Vdevice of the class described, a gas cut-off valve with connections therefor, said valve comprising a valve casing positioned in said connectionsv to present a vertical gas supply passage, a horizontally positioned, rotatable, chambered valve plug in said pas'- sage adapted to open and close the same, and means normally held Within the chamber of said valve for automatically closing said passage When said valve plug is in its passageopening position comprisingra gravity-actuated, passage closing member With a fusible attachment constituting the sole means for holding it to the inner Walls of the chamber, said member, in the horizontal and passageopening posit-ion of said plug, being gravitationally related to a seat in said supply passage to drop into closing relation thereto on the fusing of the attachment.

8. In a device of the class described, a gas cut-off valve with connections therefor, said valve comprising a valve casing, a horizontallyrotatable valve plug provided With ports, saidv valve casing being-positioned in said connections to present with said ports a substantially vertical gas supply passage having'v a seat for the hereinaftermentioned passageclosing member, said plug lying across said passage and adaptedto open and close the same and said plug further having an interior chamber provided with tapered Walls, and means normally held Within the chamber for automatically closing said passage comprising a gravity-actuated, passage-closing member With a fusible attachment constituting means for holding it Yto the inner Walls rof the chamber, said member in the horizontal, passage-opening position of said plug being gravitationally related to said seat in said supply passage to drop in closing relation thereto to close said lsupply passage on the fusing of said attachment.` Y

9. In a device of the class described, a gas cut-olf valve and connections therefor, said valve comprising a valve casing, a rotatable chambered valve plugin said casing, said easing being positioned in said conn-ections to present With said plug a gas supply passage having a seat for the hereinafter mentioned closing member, and means for automatically closing said passage under excessive heat, the

` name to this specification. Y

same comprising a gravity-actuated, passageclosing member normally held Within the chamber of said plug With a fusible body constituting the sole attachment ofsaid member e ber to said seat to causefsaid member to drop freely under the influence'of gravity alone into closing relation to said seat on of saidV attachment.

In testimony whereof, I

have signed my DANA D, BARNUM.

'the fusing 

